When it’s complete, the on-campus facility will have lights, visiting and home locker rooms, batting cages and even a dormitory.

But the biggest adjustment has been the synthetic turf field - both infield and outfield.

“Everyone thinks that (Field Turf) is lightning-fast,” Mitroff said. “It’s actually kind of slower. We’re told that the sand-rubber mix takes about a year to settle in.”

Since Cornerstone will be playing half its games on the road, it still has to play on traditional fields.

“My biggest issue is going to real grass and all the ugly bounces,” Mitroff said. “We hope to make a deal with a local high school to work on bad hops.”

The Golden Eagles, which have a 26-man varsity roster and a 15-player junior varsity, played Team Ontario for their first game on the new field. It was just a scrimmage, but Mitroff was happy to see his team pound out 20 hits and not have an error in an 8-3 win.

Zach Bohl, a freshman from Hudsonville, said the field is one of the reasons he went to Cornerstone.

“It was really cool,” said Bohl, who played on Hudsonville’s Class A state championship team this spring. “It took some getting used to because of the turf. So the ball bounces a little more. But we had a blast going out there.”

Bohl is hoping the turf gives the Golden Eagles a home-field advantage.

“If we play some teams that play on grass and aren’t used to the turf, we will hopefully have an advantage,” said Bohl, who plays first base.

So what still needs to be done?

Besides the dugouts, the university is building a dormitory behind home plate that will have 96 beds. The lower level of the building will house the baseball locker rooms and seating for 500.

The dorm, which will have windows facing the field, has become a hot item.

“We get students who want to know how can they get dibs on the rooms that face the field,” Mitroff said with a laugh. “They see it like field boxes.”

Bohl said he’ll be first in line.

“They are supposed to be sweet,” he said. “I hope I can in.”

A $1.5 million gift from Jack and Mary DeWitt from Request Foods in Holland has made the project possible. The university expects to complete the facility by August.

The Golden Eagles’ first official game is Feb. 15 in Memphis, Tenn. against Victory University. The first home game will be March 15 against Taylor University.